A Relational Database Management System (RDMS) is a database management system that is based on the relational database model. A database management system can be a software application (which can execute on one or more hardware resources) providing the interface between user database tasks and a database or databases. The RDMS provides for storing data in a database, defining and manipulating data structures from the database, updating data in the database, deleting data in the database, inserting data in the database, retrieving data from the database, administering the database and other functions. One of the main goals of an RDMS is to ensure database Atomicity, Consistency, Integrity, and Duration—also known by the acronym ACID. ACID properties ensure that database transactions are processed reliably.
An RDMS operates on the concept of transactions. A transaction is a unit of work performed within a database management system against a database, and is treated in a coherent and reliable way independent of other transactions. A transaction typically ends with the issuance of a COMMIT instruction.